As I told you last month, I’m hoping to fund our trip to next year’s Melbourne Worldcon through the sale of artwork from my collection so I can avoid going into debt. Don’t worry—I’m only getting rid of those pieces for which I feel no sentimental attachment. (Those I’ll won’t be selling until my poverty-stricken old age, I guess.)

The auction for my Bob Stanley oil painting has already closed, and started us on our way. The auctions for two other pieces have only just begun, though. Both, as it turns out, are of artwork I purchased 34 (gulp!) years ago in the art gallery of the 1975 Marvel Comics Convention.

The first is a large ink and watercolor scene of Howard the Duck, bought directly from artist Val Mayerik. A scan of the drawing is below, and you can check out the auction here. Keep in mind how early this piece was in Howard’s career—the misanthropic duck wasn’t to get his own title for another year.

The second piece is Johnny Romita, Sr.’s cover to Strange Tales #176. You can check out that auction here, and compare the original to the published version below.

Irene and have already turned in our frequent flier miles for round-trip business-class tickets Down Under, so we’ll definitely be getting to Melbourne, but here’s how to send us there debt-free while getting some groovy original comic art at the same time. There’s a little more than 13 days left in the auctions, so remember to bid early and often!